As a new dawn awakens in 2019, the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria would like to give a huge thank you to all its members, all those who race with us, our invaluable team of volunteers, hard working committee members, and loyal staff, who make this club what it is.

Here’s to an epic ORCV racing year!

Tasmanian boat Oskana claimed line honours in the early hours of the morning after skipper Michael Pritchard and crew overcame wild weather and technical problems on their Cookson 50 to reach Hobart in 2 days 12 hours 52 minutes and 04 seconds. But despite rudder problems that started on the remote west coast of Tasmania, Oskana came home in style, reaching speeds of 28.7 knots at times according to the ORCV race tracker. 

“To finish first you must first finish, is a term we embrace on the boat,” Orthopaedic surgeon Pritchard had told ORCV media before the race and despite problems that is how it turned out after 435 miles of often exhilarating sailing.

Joining Oskana on the Tasmanian dominated podium, according to provisional results, is David Aplin's Mdb 36 Whistler which had shared the top of the AMS handicap leader board at times with Justin Brenan's Lidgard 36 Alien as they surfed down the windy west coast. However Whistler with acknowledged handicap specialist Aplin at the helm has made a clean sweep of handicap honours with top spots in IRC, PHS and AMS to complete the Tasmanian domination of the West Coaster. 

Still at sea as we go to press are the majority of the fleet who are entering the Derwent River led by Soiree Bleu(Douglas Lithgow) who has made big gains during the night ahead of Jaffa(Terry Posma), Alien(Justin Brenan) and Addiction(Richard McGarvie). Further back, the early winner in the battle of the short-handed boats is currently Maverick(Rod Smallman and crewman Thomas Vaughan) who is a few miles ahead of Red Jacket's female crew skippered by Annette Hesselmans and includes her 20 year-old daughter Sophie Snijders.

Backmarkers Fast Forward(Matt Fahey) and Escapade(Robert Bradley) are just rounding South East Cape and will be hoping to make Hobart before the pubs close and all the scallop pies are scoffed so we wish them well, because finishing what is arguably Australia's toughest offshore race is a win in itself. On that note, commiserations to Christine(Paul Bunn) who retired to Devonport but will hopefully try again next year.

But the story of the day goes to Oskana. Oskana's dramas began with a grumbling noise on the back of the boat said Pritchard and the steering wheels felt loose off Strahan. “So we dropped the sails to check it out and found that the top rudder bearing had started to collapse.” Fortunately it was the bearing at the top of the shaft rather than the through-hull one which could have been catastrophic for the Cookson 50. “Our navigator, did put a plan together in case we needed a port of refuge and from then on we played it pretty cautiously and didn't put a kite up again until in the lee of Bruny Island,” said Pritchard. As conditions worsened on the west coast Oskana was down to only a small jib at times with no mainsail but still flying in 49 knots of wind. As conditions eased up the east coast the weary crew found themselves fighting for every zephyr of pressure in 1-2 knots on the Derwent River after midnight.

“But really pleased with the boat and so happy to win this really prestigious race,” added Pritchard. Having done two Sydney to Hobarts and now the West Coaster, he could really appreciate the immense challenge of this iconic race, he said. In fact Tasmania has the trifecta this year with Duncan Hine's local boat Alive just declared as handicap winner of the Rolex Sydney-Hobart; the first local boat to do so.

ORCV Commodore, Martin Vaughan, congratulated all competitors on a fantastic race and thanked sponsor Engine Property Group. Engine Property Group is an experienced, recognised and award winning industry leader in the management of large multi-level owners corporations and estates and is structured accordingly.

ORCV Melbourne to Hobart leaders approach South East Cape

Race leader Oskana continues to set the pace, maximising the big southwesterlies by staying further out to sea than the rest of the fleet as she gybed her way around South West Cape and is now passing Australia's most southerly lighthouse on Maatsuyker Island, with the bow of this Cookson 50 firmly pointed at South East Cape and the relatively calmer waters of Tasmania's east coast.

BoM Meteye wind predictions give her pressure all the way up to the Derwent River, or as sailors disdainfully call it, 'the ditch'; a waterway that can make or break hearts. Here the westerly breeze is forecast to be fickle during the night so skipper Michael Pritchard is making haste right now, pushing the boat at 14 knots according to the Blue Water  tracker.

But Oskana is not having it all her own way as second boat Tevake II(Angus Fletcher) has gained nearly four miles since the morning by taking the more inshore route around the tall sentinel of South West Cape which puts her firmly on top of the handicap leader board, nearly an hour ahead of rival Whistler on corrected time. However under IRC handicap Tasmanian boat Whistler(David Aplin) is in a strong position, ahead of Alien(Justin Brenan) and Maverick(Rod Smallman).

The back of the fleet are still riding the big winds down the west coast and having their own private tussles, with the short-handed boats Red Jacket and Maverick keeping in contact as they surf towards High Rocky Point, mid-way down the west coast. Red Jacket, the Radford 12.2 is skippered by Annette Hesselmans and three female crew including 20 year-old daughter Sophie Snijders who are using the autopilot to help sail their course when the crew require rest or conditions are mild. Alongside them are the double-handers Rod Smallman and crewman Thomas Vaughan who have texted some images of them having dinner and generally enjoying the race on their Jeanneau Sunfast 3600.

But it will be a long night for the backmarkers Fast Forward and Escape that are only passing Strahan. However Matt Fahey's Fast Forward is one of the tough Sydney 38s so will be taking the windy conditions in her stride while she watches the sail of Robert Bradley's Farr 38IMS Escape just ahead.

Meantime at the front, Oskana will be aiming to reach Hobart around midnight or even before if she maximises the breeze and successfully stems the outgoing tide on the Derwent River to claim line honours and a home victory for a Tasmanian yacht.

Follow the yachts Blue Water Race Tracker: https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2018-melbourne-to-hobart-yacht-race

As the fleet spreads out along the north west corner of Tasmania line honours leader Oskana is sprinting close inshore but behind her the battle for AMS handicap honours is being fought. 

Leader at the moment on AMS is one of the three smallest boats in the fleet, Justin Brenan's Lidgard 36 Alien that is only four miles behind the other fleet tiddler, Whistler (David Aplin), an Mdb 36 design while the third 36 footer, Maverick is 13 miles behind. Aboard the double-handed Maverick it's been a trying night for Rod Smallman and Thomas Vaughan. “After an interesting night of chasing electrical gremlins, Maverick is up and away this morning. All fixed now, a faulty Bluetooth receiver would disengage autohelm randomly.” Without the autohelm moving the tiller, the two crew would get little rest, with one having to steer and another making the sail changes.

“The solution was found: unplug Bluetooth receiver. The downside is, no more stereo,” said an upbeat Smallman. Their Jeanneau Sunfast 3600 is an internationally proven design that's a winner of some major events including a China Cup and is particularly strong off the wind so they will be hoping for more northerly in the prevailing westerlies on this part of Tasmania. “Conditions have proven quite tricky with lots of light and variable winds. Nonetheless, the crew are happy, especially now the bean bag has made its way on deck!,” added Smallman.

Life on smaller race boats like these is bouncy so a particular challenge for the foredeck crew who have to man-handle the spinnakers and jibs while caring for their own safety. Currently life shouldn't be too bouncy for the bulk of the fleet that is experiencing light southwesterly winds as they make their way through the Fleurieu Group of islands.

Sadly, the first retirement has taken place, with Paul Bunn's Christine reporting engine trouble so the Beneteau 44.7 is being towed to Devonport. A yacht's engine is a key part of the system even when sailing as it must start to charge the batteries periodically, allowing the navigation and other electronics to run. A functioning engine is also part of the safety rules for participation in this Category 2 race. Bunn’s wife Lynn reported, “Paul is just devastated. I feel so sorry for him and the crew. The engine had recently been serviced, everything should have been fine.”

According to the ORCV race tracker (see below) race leader Oskana has 269 miles to the finish in Hobart, which may put her arrival around Saturday afternoon. But it's by no means plain sailing as she makes her way along a rocky lee shore for most way around the bottom of Tasmania, then has to navigate the rock and island strewn east coast. Another hazard here is static fishing gear and the huge kelp beds that can trap yachts. All part of the challenge that is the mighty 435 mile long West Coaster!

Blue Water Race Tracker: https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2018-melbourne-to-hobart-yacht-race

ORCV Melbourne to Hobart Fleet Safely Across Bass Strait

The fleet is approaching north west Tasmania after the yachts safely crossed Bass Strait in light conditions on their way to Hobart. Overnight, northerly winds kept the fleet heading slightly west of the rhumb line that passes between King Island and Tasmania.

During the night the yachts experienced changeable weather conditions, including rain fronts and no wind ‘holes’ that have been predicted to plague these race. How you manage low wind is often the difference between winning and losing the race. Sail selection becomes crucial and even keeping crew movement around the boat to a minimum can make a big difference to the boatspeed.

Overnight, the ORCV tracker showed the fleet spread out to the west of the rhumb line to benefit from the morning's westerly winds, with leader Oskana being chased by Tevake II (Angus Fletcher) but by daybreak Fletcher has been surrounded by Alien (Justin Brenan) and Addiction (Richard McGarvie) along with Whistler (David Aplin).

Taking up the rear is Escapade (Robert Bradley) who had more boat speed on his nearest rival, Maverick, sailed by double-handers Rod Smallman. Favourite and race leader, the canting keel Cookson 50 Oskana is currently past King Island and nearing the mandatory declaration point at 41 degrees south. This is a declaration by HF radio to say that all is well onboard and they are fit and able to enter the west coast and continue racing. The rest of the fleet is bunched up behind Oskana abeam of King Island.

Their 435 mile “West Coaster” course will take them south to experience the swells of the Southern Ocean as they pass few places of refuge – only the infamous Hells Gate entrance to Macquarie Harbour at Strahan and then further south the beautiful wilderness of Port Davey before rounding SW Cape and the east coast of Tasmania for what is arguably Australia's most challenging yacht race.

Follow the race on BlueWater Race Tracker: https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2018-melbourne-to-hobart-yacht-race